Phased array antenna including an antenna module temperature sensor and related methods

Abstract

A phased array antenna includes a plurality of phased array antenna modules and associated antenna elements. Further, at least one of the phased array antenna modules may also include a temperature sensor for measuring a temperature of the at least one phased array antenna module. More particularly, the temperature sensor may include a capacitor and a circuit element coupled in series with the capacitor having a resistance that varies with temperature. Additionally, the at least one phased array antenna module may further include a module controller for charging/discharging the capacitor through the circuit element, measuring a charging/discharging time required to charge/discharge the capacitor to a predetermined threshold, and determining the temperature of the at least one phased array antenna module based upon the charging/discharging time.

That which is claimed is:  
     
       1. A phased array antenna comprising: 
       a plurality of phased array antenna modules and associated antenna elements; and  
       at least one of said phased array antenna modules further comprising a temperature sensor for measuring a temperature of said at least one phased array antenna module, said temperature sensor comprising a capacitor, a thermistor coupled to said capacitor, and at least one calibration resistor coupled to said capacitor;  
       said at least one phased array antenna module further comprising a module controller for sequentially operating said capacitor through said thermistor and through said at least one calibration resistor for determining the temperature of said at least one phased array antenna module based thereon.  
     
     
       2. The phased array antenna of  claim 1  wherein said module controller sequentially charges said capacitor through said thermistor and said at least one calibration resistor, measures respective charging times required to charge said capacitor to the predetermined threshold through said thermistor and said at least one calibration resistor, and determines the temperature of said at least one phased array antenna module based upon the charging times. 
     
     
       3. The phased array antenna of  claim 1  wherein said at least one calibration resistor comprises a high calibration resistor and a low calibration resistor. 
     
     
       4. The phased array antenna of  claim 2  wherein said module controller comprises a counter for measuring the charging times. 
     
     
       5. The phased array antenna of  claim 1  wherein said module controller comprises at least one driver coupled to said thermistor and said at least one calibration resistor for charging said capacitor. 
     
     
       6. The phased array antenna of  claim 5  wherein said module controller further comprises a control logic circuit for controlling said at least one driver. 
     
     
       7. The phased array antenna of  claim 2  wherein said module controller comprises a Schmitt hysteresis device coupled to said capacitor for determining when said capacitor has been charged to the predetermined threshold. 
     
     
       8. The phased array antenna of  claim 1  wherein said module controller is implemented in an ASIC. 
     
     
       9. The phased array antenna of  claim 1  wherein said module controller sequentially discharges said capacitor through said thermistor and said at least one calibration resistor, measures respective discharging times required to discharge said capacitor to the predetermined threshold through said thermistor and said at least one calibration resistor, and determines the temperature of said at least one phased array antenna module based upon the discharging times. 
     
     
       10. The phased array antenna of  claim 1  wherein said at least one phased array antenna module further comprises a phase shifter coupled to said at least one antenna element. 
     
     
       11. The phased array antenna of  claim 10  further comprising an array controller coupled to said at least one phased array antenna module for controlling said phase shifter based upon the temperature of said at least one phased array antenna module. 
     
     
       12. The phased array antenna of  claim 10  wherein said module controller controls said phase shifter based upon the temperature of said at least one phased array antenna module. 
     
     
       13. A phased array antenna comprising: 
       a plurality of phased array antenna modules and associated antenna elements, each phased array antenna module comprising a temperature sensor for measuring a temperature of said phased array antenna module;  
       said temperature sensor comprising a capacitor, a thermistor coupled to said capacitor, and at least one calibration resistor coupled to said capacitor;  
       each phased array antenna module further comprising a module controller for sequentially operating said capacitor through said thermistor and said at least one calibration resistor for determining the temperature of said phased array antenna module based thereon.  
     
     
       14. The phased array antenna of  claim 13  wherein said module controller sequentially charges said capacitor through said thermistor and said at least one calibration resistor, measures respective charging times required to charge said capacitor to the predetermined threshold through said thermistor and said at least one calibration resistor, and determines the temperature of said phased array antenna module based upon the charging times. 
     
     
       15. The phased array antenna of  claim 13  wherein each at least one calibration resistor comprises a high calibration resistor and a low calibration resistor. 
     
     
       16. The phased array antenna of  claim 13  wherein each module controller comprises at least one driver coupled to said thermistor and said at least one calibration resistor for charging said capacitor. 
     
     
       17. The phased array antenna of  claim 16  wherein each module controller further comprises a control logic circuit for controlling said at least one driver. 
     
     
       18. The phased array antenna of  claim 14  wherein each module controller comprises a Schmitt hysteresis device coupled to said capacitor for determining when said capacitor has been charged to the predetermined threshold. 
     
     
       19. The phased array antenna of  claim 13  wherein said module controller is implemented in an ASIC. 
     
     
       20. The phased array antenna of  claim 13  wherein said module controller sequentially discharges said capacitor through said thermistor and said at least one calibration resistor, measures respective discharging times required to charge said capacitor to the predetermined threshold through said thermistor and said at least one calibration resistor, and determines the temperature of said phased array antenna module based upon the discharging times. 
     
     
       21. A phased array antenna module comprising: 
       a housing;  
       at least one antenna element carried by said housing;  
       a phase shifter carried by said housing and coupled to said at least one antenna element;  
       a temperature sensor carried by said housing for measuring a temperature of the phased array antenna module and comprising a capacitor, a thermistor coupled to said capacitor, and at least one calibration resistor coupled to said capacitor; and  
       a module controller carried by said housing for sequentially operating said capacitor through said thermistor and said at least one calibration resistor for determining the temperature of said phased array antenna module based thereon, and controlling said phase shifter based upon the determined temperature.  
     
     
       22. The phased array antenna module of  claim 21  wherein said module controller sequentially charges said capacitor through said thermistor and said at least one calibration resistor, measures respective charging times required to charge said capacitor to the predetermined threshold through said thermistor and said at least one calibration resistor, and determines the temperature of the phased array antenna module based upon the charging times. 
     
     
       23. The phased array antenna module of  claim 21  wherein said at least one calibration resistor comprises a high calibration resistor and a low calibration resistor. 
     
     
       24. The phased array antenna module of  claim 21  wherein said module controller comprises at least one driver coupled to said thermistor and said at least one calibration resistor for charging said capacitor. 
     
     
       25. The phased array antenna module of  claim 24  wherein said module controller further comprises a control logic circuit for controlling said at least one driver. 
     
     
       26. The phased array antenna module of  claim 22  wherein said module controller comprises a Schmitt hysteresis device coupled to said capacitor for determining when said capacitor has been charged to the predetermined threshold. 
     
     
       27. The phased array antenna module of  claim 21  wherein said module controller is implemented in an ASIC. 
     
     
       28. The phased array antenna module of  claim 21  wherein said module controller sequentially discharges said capacitor through said thermistor and said at least one calibration resistor, measures respective discharging times required to discharge said capacitor to the predetermined threshold through said thermistor and said at least one calibration resistor, and determines the temperature of the phased array antenna module based upon the discharging times. 
     
     
       29. A method for sensing a temperature of a phased array antenna module comprising a capacitor, a thermistor coupled to the capacitor, and at least one calibration resistor coupled to the capacitor, the method comprising: 
       sequentially charging the capacitor through the thermistor and the at least one calibration resistor;  
       measuring respective charging times required to charge the capacitor to a predetermined threshold through the thermistor and the at least one calibration resistor; and  
       determining the temperature of the phased array antenna module based upon the charging times.  
     
     
       30. The method of  claim 29  wherein the at least one calibration resistor comprises a high calibration resistor and a low calibration resistor. 
     
     
       31. A method for sensing a temperature of a phased array antenna module comprising a capacitor, a thermistor coupled to the capacitor and at least one calibration resistor coupled to the capacitor, the method comprising: 
       sequentially discharging the capacitor through the thermistor and the at least one calibration resistor;  
       measuring respective discharging times required to discharge the capacitor to a predetermined threshold through the thermistor and the at least one calibration resistor; and  
       determining the temperature of the phased array antenna module based upon the discharging times.  
     
     
       32. The method of  claim 31  wherein the at least one calibration resistor comprises a high calibration resistor and a low calibration resistor. 
     
     
       33. A method for making a phased array antenna comprising: 
       positioning a plurality of phased array antenna modules in an array, each phased array antenna module having an associated antenna element;  
       providing a temperature sensor in at least one of the phased array antenna modules for measuring a temperature thereof by coupling a capacitor to a thermistor and at least one calibration resistor; and  
       providing a module controller in the at least one phased array antenna module for sequentially operating the capacitor through the thermistor and the at least one calibration resistor for determining the temperature of the at least one phased array antenna module based thereon.  
     
     
       34. The method of  claim 33  wherein the module controller is for sequentially charging the capacitor through the thermistor and the at least one calibration resistor, measuring a respective charging times required to charge the capacitor to a predetermined threshold through the thermistor and the at least one calibration resistor, and determining the temperature of the at least one phased array antenna module based upon the charging times. 
     
     
       35. The method of  claim 33  wherein module controller is for sequentially discharging the capacitor through the thermistor and the at least one calibration resistor, measuring a respective discharging times required to discharge the capacitor to a predetermined threshold through the thermistor and the at least one calibration resistor, and determining the temperature of the at least one phased array antenna module based upon the discharging times. 
     
     
       36. The method of  claim 33  wherein the at least one calibration resistor comprises a high calibration resistor and a low calibration resistor.